[meteorite-list] NWA's, "Dealers", Science, & NomCom

[Jeff Grossman]

At 12:38 PM 11/25/2004, Michael Gallant wrote:
>Hello Jeff,
>
>First off, I would like to thank you for all your time and effort you 
>place into this list.
>I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that your name is one of several that 
>prompt one to pause and fully read your posts.
>
>I wonder if you might clarify for me your example (copied below) of NWA 
>numbering, as this is a very exciting topic. Could one assume a stone with 
>an NWA number that has no "extension", might be an example of a dealer's 
>"best guess", as it would not reflect a "certified" number?

Although I don't condone this practice, yes.  If a stone has been subject 
since day 1 to the application of subsample numbers then you would have to 
be suspicious that anybody selling pieces without them is just 
guessing.  The problem is that there are going to be 1000's of 
grandfathered NWA's already out there with no subsample numbers, so how do 
you tell them apart?.


>When a new find is made, would each stone be tested and given a 
>"certified" incremental "extension" number?

Under my suggested system, the material that is known at the time of 
classification would get the subsample numbers.  Since the NomCom does not 
allow new material found in dense collection areas to be added to existing 
numbers, there is not an issue concerning later-found material.


>Best wishes,
>Mike
>
> >Note, that when one is selling a meteorite, one should be careful how the
> >specimen numbers are used. You are selling NWA 5434. However, this 15 g
> >piece I have up for auction is a slice of NWA 5434,4. The name of the
> >meteorite has no comma. The name of a particular specimen does.
> >reactions?
> >Jeff
>
>
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman
Chair, Meteorite Nomenclature Committee (Meteoritical Society)
US Geological Survey
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA
Phone: (703) 648-6184   fax:   (703) 648-6383